Hello!
Quick questions:
Just curious about opinions on webcontrol vs groundcontrol…
Things such as… Does one run better than the other? If I already have everything setup on groundcontrol is it worth it to re-setup everything on web control? Any advantages/disadvantages of both?
both read gcode and send it to the maslow control system
groundcontrol works on a single machine. It has a dated graphical plugin so it isn’t easy to port to other platforms or update
webcontrol allows multiple systems to log into it simultaneously, like when you are on the ladder trying to reset your chain, you can use your phone to move the sprocket that last little bit to be at 12:00 when you set your laptop down to go start the maslow running on a headless raspberry pi, you can pull out your phone and press start or move the sled that last little bit. It makes the maslow more like a printer (but not that much). Webcontrol was to be the future of maslow software, but then makerverse dropped and that may be the next thing… most people find something that works and just use it. I started with groundcontrol, then imported my groundcontrol.ini to webcontrol and have not looked back. Both take some getting used to, but I much prefer webcontrol mostly becauese it uses that raspberry pi that had been sitting idle for a long time and now has a full time job. the raspberry pi allowed me to mount a start and stop and pause button on the machine, so I don’t even need to pull out the phone to pause mid cut if something is crazy. I have an LED color signal that tells me what it is doing. All things available because of webcontrol.
I agree! I liked the Maslow a lot when I first got it, but I felt GC was lacking some (not sure how or why) and was not very impressed with the “usability” of it. I like to feel that I am an intuitive person and can usually figure programs out, but I found myself constantly coming here to learn “what to do next” and I think I remember some of the functions (like go to) didn’t really work for me. I stepped away for a bit as I was a little frustrated (life happened mainly as well), and in that time, I had gotten a new laptop. I went back to load GC on it and it wasn’t happening (more frustration). I came here, learned about WC, and haven’t looked back. I am very happy with it.
WC also allows you to flash the firmware to the mega directly from it, instead of having to use Arduino IDE/Platform IO, so that is a huge plus for me as it takes out a lot of steps there if you have to start over with your machine. I am also moving to an RPi, and if you ever have to change RPi’s or controlling computers, you can copy your webcontrol.json file over to the new machine, and all the calibration/machine set up should transfer over (@Orob correct me if I’m wrong here).
Another aspect is once you have your machine set up and you extend your chains, you can mark the sprocket and chain on both motors, and if the machine ever loses its place, you just follow the “reset chains” portion and you just rotate the sprockets, put your marked link back on, click a button, and off you go. I think with GC, you had to do the whole setup process again.
Just my 2 cents, but I like it a lot!!!
I wrote Ground Control and I think Web Control is better 
Did you put in any easter-eggs? 
I was completely new to CNC milling and Maslow, GC, etc. about a year ago. I used ground control successfully and didn’t mind it, it did its job well. I saw the RPI preloaded with WebControl on the MetalMaslow site for a great price so I bought one. I just copied my Groundcontrol.ini file into the RPI and off I went with the same results I had gotten before, but with a nicer interface. I added VNC Viewer to my phone and a tablet that I mounted to the machine so I can start, stop, pause, position, etc from my phone, or any computer in the building for that matter. So many options with an RPI, I wouldn’t want to go back to Ground Control.
Jason